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' H. S. DOLBEY.

SAFETY PIN. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25. 1920.

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PatentedSept; 28,1920.

HARRY S. IDOLBEY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SAFETY-PIN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 28, 1920- Application filed March 25, 1920. Serial No. 368,528.

portion of its length so as to stiffen and.

prevent its bending under action of a heavy spreading strain.

It is found in practice that the piercing arm of the usual wire safety pin becomes quite easily bent when subjected to severe strain and the point of bending is usually that section adjacent the jointed end of this arm. Therefore to obviate this difflculty I.

have flattened the sides of this arm for a portion. of its length at that section where it is called upon to withstand the greatest bending strain, which construction provides a simple and effective way of stiflening this member by simply changing the form of the stock whereby it is stiffened and prevented from bending thereby increasing the effectiveness of the pin and prolonging its operating life.

The nature and advantages of the inven tion will be better understood when the following detail description is taken in connection with the accompaying drawings, the invention residing in the combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the piercing arm as disconnected from its catch member and flattened for a portion of its length.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the piercing arm as being forced down into position to engage the catch member, also showing the fabric which it is called upon to engage as being crowded up toward the connected end; also showing the back-arm as being flattened for a portion of its length.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 44: of Fig. 1, illustrating the change in the cross section of the stock by flattening its sides in the plane of its swinging movement.

In the construction of my improved pin I prefer to use'wire of the required gage, which is bent or coiled at '10 connecting a back arm 11 with the piercing arm 12. This back arm is provided with a catch member 13 at its free end while the free end of the piercing member is sharpened or pointed as at 14, which pointed end is adapted to be pressed downward against the inherent spring at the coil to engage the hooded catch end 13.

It is found in practice that when this piercing arm is subjected to severe strains, which is often the case, it often bends, yields or bows sufliciently to permit the pointed end to be readily withdrawn from its catch, releasing the pin and the material held thereby, and destroying its utility.

Qne of the reasons for this bending action is attributed to the fact that after the piercing arm has been passed through the goods this material must necessarily be crowded up or jammed, as illustrated at 15, see Fig. 2, toward the connected end, in order to permit the free end to be carried down sufficiently to be hooked into the hooded catch, whereby these goods provide a fulcrum over which this piercing arm is often bent and after the bend is once started other strains cause the stock to yield still further until the pin is entirely withdrawn from its catch.

In the majority of cases it is found that this bending of the arm takes place substantially at the point 16, or in that section adjacent the connected end of the arm, and therefore, to obviate or correct this serious difficulty and stiffen this arm against this bending action, I flatten the sides of this arm by swaging or otherwise, in a plane parallel with its swinging movement and for a substantial. distance, approximately onethird or one-half of the length of this arm, extending from the coiled end outwardly toward the pointed end thereof, thus leaving the outer or pointed end of this arm free to spring and yield sufliciently to enable it to be bent down and readily carried beneath the hooded catch end, even though the goods 15 are crowded, bound or jammed between the arms. Thls structure also leaves the piercing end of this arm round in cross section so as not to interfere with its piercing action, thus stiffening that portion only of the pin, which is subjected to the greatest bending strain.

In some instances where the pin is subjected to extra heavy strains it may be found advisable to also flatten the back arm of the pin, as illustrated at 17 in Figs. 2 and 3.

' By my improved construction I greatly strengthen the pin by simply changing the form of the stock in cross section from round to a rectangular shape, which increases its effectiveness and prolongs the operative life of the pin.

I claim:

1. A safety pin comprising a piercing arm, an opposing back-arm connected at one end to said piercing arm and having a catch portion at its opposite end, said piercing arm being provided .with a flattened stiiliening portion adjacent its connected one.

2. A safety pin comprising a piercing arm, an opposing back-arm connected by a spring coil atone end to said piercing arm permitting a relative swinging movement of said arms, said piercing member being flattened in the plane of its swinging movement for a substantial portion of its length beginning adjacent its coil end, to stiffen the same at this point against bending.

3. A safety pin comprising a piercing arm, an opposing back arm connected at one end to said piercing arm and having a catch portion atits opposite end, each of said arms being provided with a flattened stiffening portion on its opposite sides for a substantial portion of their length beginning adjacent its connected end.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY S. DOLBEY. 

